Study reveals hunting, not climate change, played decisive role in extinction of large animals

Scientists from Aarhus University have found that human hunting, not climate change, was the primary cause of the extinction of megafauna, such as elephants, mammoths, and rhinoceroses, over the past 50,000 years. Their study, published in *Cambridge Prisms: Extinction*, synthesized existing research on extinction timing, dietary habits, climate, habitat needs, genetic data, and human hunting evidence. They discovered that humans hunted many large species to extinction, particularly megaherbivores over 1,000 kg. While previous ice ages didn’t selectively wipe out large animals, recent extinctions coincided with human activities. Archaeological evidence, including hunting traps and protein residues on spear points, supports this conclusion. The researchers advocate for active conservation and reintroduction of large mammals to restore ecological balance.

Source – CGTN